Class Notes

Fred G. Van Orsdol '69 retired in 2017 from a decades-long career in the oil and gas industry, working in such positions as vice president of audits and loss control, senior international project engineer, and owner of Van Orsdol Consulting, among others. He was general chair and executive committee chair of the International School of Hydrocarbon Measurement, and he served in the Air Force as a captain, navigator, meteorologist and command briefer. Van Orsdol received a Bachelor of Science in physics.

Henry Taylor Millard '80 published his second novel, "There Are No Rules," which begins at a small state university in 1980. He draws on his time at SFA and the friends he met at the university to create a story that takes place over decades. Millard received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.

Steve Sides '81 retired from a 34-year career with NASA. In that time, he worked 95 Space Shuttle missions and two Orion missions, which included Artemis I. He is now busy serving as a group leader with Trail Life USA. Sides received a Bachelor of Science in geology.

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship named Dr. Geralyn McClure Franklin '82 & '85 as the recipient of the 2023 Max S. Wortman Jr. Award for Lifetime Achievement in Entrepreneurship, the organization's highest individual honor. Franklin received a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Business Administration, both in general business.

John Knapp '84 was named vice president of category insights and solutions at Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling. Knapp received a Bachelor of Business Administration in marketing.

Christopher Hrubesh '88 retired from CNN after a 35-year career. He then started a video production company and plans on dedicating his time and talent to reverse climate collapse. Hrubesh received a Bachelor of Arts in radio/TV.

Patti Williams Eden '90 retired in May after 33 years in the teaching field. She was the founding choral director at The Brook Hill School in Bullard and has served in that role for the past 25 years. Eden received a Bachelor of Music.

Terry Hoover '90 was named chief risk officer for Thread Bank. Hoover received a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance.

Christine Welsh Mathers '91 of Houston was elected to the American Marketing Association board of directors after spending years of service with the international AMA organization and the local AMA Houston chapter. Mathers received a Bachelor of Science in interior design.

Dr. Logan Faris '93, '96 & '06 was named area superintendent of the Round Rock Learning Community. Faris received a Bachelor of Science in biology, a Master of Education in secondary education and a Doctor of Education in educational leadership.

Dr. Shelby Melton '97 & '99 was honored with the McGovern Medical School 2022 Distinguished Alumnus Award for significant contributions in the areas of medical science and education and for the treatment of disease, as well as a continued interest in McGovern Medical School and its students. He is chief of the pathology and laboratory medicine service at VA North Texas Health Care in Dallas and is an associate professor in the Department of Pathology at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. Melton received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science, both in biology.

D. Robert Holcomb '01 of Addison has been named senior vice president, associate general counsel of Triumph Financial. Holcomb received a Bachelor of Science in political science.

Natasha '02 & '04 and Reginald Williams '03 of Houston celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in May. The college sweethearts met at SFA during their undergrad years and now have three children. Natasha received a Bachelor of Science in speech and hearing therapy as well as a Master of Public Administration. Reginald received a Bachelor of Arts in criminal justice/law enforcement.

Stephanie Wilcox '04 of Celina was named director of community relations for Thomson Reuters. Wilcox received a Bachelor of Arts in radio/TV.

Robert Eby '05 earned a Master of Science in sustainability studies from Texas State University in 2020, was hired by Austin Energy in 2022 as a green building project manager, and got his research paper on campus sustainability plans published in 2023. Eby received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry with an emphasis in environmental science.

Ryane Jackson '07 of Houston was named by Modern Healthcare magazine as one of the nation's top 25 emerging leaders in health care for 2023. She is vice president of community benefits at Houston Methodist Hospital. Jackson received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism.

Emily Lee '07 was named interim superintendent of DeKalb Independent School District. Lee received a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Stephanie (Tilley) Funderburg '09 was elected Region 2 director for the Collegiate Information and Visitor Services Association. Funderburg received a Bachelor of Science in hospitality administration.

Ryan Kuether '09 was named the dean of boarding at Ecole d'Humanité, an international boarding school in Hasliberg-Goldern, Switzerland, where he has lived since 2020. Kuether received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in creative writing.

Jimmy Robertson '10 was recognized by the Texas Black Music Educators Association for outstanding service toward diversity in music education. He received the recognition during the Texas Music Education Association's February conference. Richardson received a Bachelor of Music.

Justin Salge '16 graduated with his doctoral degree from East Tennessee State University and is a first-generation scholar. Salge received a Bachelor of Arts in history.

Clarissa (Hughes) McNair '19 of Tyler joined the alumni relations team at LeTourneau University in Longview. Shortly after this career change, she married Colton McNair of Carthage on Oct. 29. McNair received a Bachelor of Science in interior merchandising.

Carolyn Ross '19 of Lake Jackson was named assistant principal for Lake Jackson Intermediate School. Ross received a Master of Education in educational leadership.

Monica Loa '20 of Nacogdoches was named associate director of SFA's Center for Applied Research and Rural Innovation. Loa received a Bachelor of Science in sociology.